Volquez is Back Reds One Day Closer As They Rally 5-4 in 10

Edinson Volquez has found his long lost release point.  He poured in quality strikes at the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates all night.

Scott Rolen and the Reds offense provided just enough to get the job done.  Charlie Morton pitched much better than his 1-11 record and 9.66 ERA would suggest.

Rolen hit a pair of leadoff doubles.  Jonny Gomes singled behind him twice.  Both hits were right in front of outfielders and hit a little to hard to score Rolen but Drew Stubbs and Ramon Hernandez hit fly balls deep enough to get Rolen home.

Volquez allowed a single that could easily have been fielded by Orlando Cabrera but Jose Tabata reached one out into the first.  Garrett Jones walked with two outs and was the last to reach base against the dominant Volquez.

He retired all of the last 19 batters he faced, fanning 10 of them.

Drew Stubbs had two hits to go with his sacrifice fly and Miguel Cairo starting in rightfield for Chris Heisey lifted a third sacrifice fly in the seventh.  Cairo made his 33rd career start in the outfield in 1150 games.  Heisey was banged up last night but entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning.

The Reds were already down to its last three outfielders forcing Dusty Baker to put Cairo in right where he had one routine chance.

The scoreboard watching was evident when the team's investment in Alex Gonzalez paid off in a strange way. Gonzalez now an employee of the Atlanta Braves hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning in Atlanta to sink the St. Louis Cardinals in a 6-3 loss.  When the score was posted a bewildered Ryan Doumit couldn't understand why the crowd cheered so, as he entered the batters box.

The Pirates scored two runs in the eighth off Nick Masset before giving way to Aroldis Chapman with two outs.  Masset left runners on first and second.  Chapman threw a two balls to Neil Walker.  Andrew McCutchen and Tabata easily pulled of a double steal.  Walker hit a 99 mph fastball back through the box for a two run single and the Reds lead and Volquez win, went up in smoke.  Chapman caught Walker running for the third out but the save had been blown.

Evan Meek started the eighth for Pittsburgh.  Brandon Phillips lined out to right but Cabrera singled and Joey Votto walked for the second time.  Rolen struck out on a 3-2 pitch.  Gomes took a called third strike to end the threat.

Chapman struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth.

Joel Hanrahan took the mound for Pittsburgh in the bottom of the ninth, attempting his fifth save.

Hernandez singled up the middle on the first pitch.  Chris Valaika pinch ran for him.  Stubbs took a ball after squaring to bunt, then forced Valaika with a bunt at his feet.  Doumit got Valaika easily.  Heisey tied it with a double just inside the thirdbase.  Ryan Hanigan hit for Chapman.  Hanigan flied out to deep center.  Phillips stepped in 0-for-4.  The count went full.  Phillips walked.  Cabrera flied out to deep center.

Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect 10th.

Justin Thomas trotted from the bullpen to face Votto.  The MVP candidate launched his 33rd home run of the season to leftfield to build the Reds lead back to seven games.